Film printer



J. E. BRANDENBERGER FILM PRINTER Ju le '18, 1929. 7

Filed Nov. 23, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l AJTURNEY J1me 1929- J. E.BRANDENBERGER 1.717.957

FILM PRINTER Filed Nov., 23, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.5. a 9* mom/5r.

Patented June 18, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FILM PRINTER.

Application filed November 23, 1926, Serial No. 150,294, and in FranceDecember 29, 1925.

The object of this invention is to provide a machine adapted to printmotion picture films on a commercial scale, and especially to reprintsuch films while using either processes requiring comparatively longexposure, such as those known as direct shadowing, chromate, diazo base,etc., or quicker acting processes such as those through developing.

The invention which is applicable not only to commercial film printingbut also to the printing of any photographic images on continuousstrips, is essentially characterized by the use of an opaque roller orcylinder, made of any suitable material, e. g. iron, preferably mountedidly, and over which pass, while kept applied against one another andwithout any possible relative shifting, the film carryin the images tobe reprinted (which film is hereinafter called the matrix) and the filmto be printed, a suitable source of light being concentrically arrangedoutside the cylinder and in such a way that every point of the matrixlocated over the film being printed will receive the same amount oflight from the point where it comes to be applied on the cylinder up tothe point where it is separated therefrom.

Such are the essential characteristics of the film printer which is theobject of the invention, and those characteristics will subsist whateverthe practical embodiment thereof.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

. Figures 1 and 1 jointly constitute a diagrammatic side elevation of amachine constructed accordingto the invention.

Figure 2 is an outside view of the drum containing the source of light.

Figure 3 illustrates a modification.

The opaque cylinder or roller a, made of iron or of any other suitablematerial, is mounted on a spindle adapted to rotate idly in bearings b,suitably supported by hangers 0. Above and around the cylinder ispositioned a suitable lamp 9, say a mercury vapour lamp. As alreadystated, said lamp is so arranged that every point of the filmconstituting the matrix will receive the same amount of light from whereit comes into contact with cylinder a to where it parts from thiscylinder.

I wish it to be clearly understood that, as

a matter of course a plurality of lamps may be used instead of a singleone.

The set constituted by the cylinder and the lamp may be locatedv in theopen or within a drum (1 as shown. In the event of the set being locatedin the open, care should be taken to protect from light the sensitizedfilm before it is applied to cylinder a and after it has left the same.In the case of a drum (Z being used, said drum may have say both itsfront and its rear faces closed, which closing may be effected by means,for instance, of two half-doors ee', hinged at f. Such a mounting willallow ready access to the inside of the drum and permit it to be closedagain so asto insulate from outside interference all the parts locatedwithin. Of course, drum (I should have two apertures 73 and j, theaperture 71 serving to admit in the direction of the arrow 1 the matrixand the film to be printed through the matrix and the other aperture 7'serving to let out the matrix and the film in the direction of arrow 2.

As will be readily understood, it is necessary to impart a speed ofmovement (governed by the sensitiveness of the film to be printed, bythe intensity of the printing lamp, and by the lamp-to-film distance) tothe matrix m and the film s, which motion or feed will rotate the idlecylinder a. The feed of the two films can be obtained in practice in thefollowing manner: The matrix m alone is subjected to a traction thatfeeds it on, the required drive is exerted on the matrix after it hasleft cylinder a, and, previous to coming into contact with cylinder a,said matrix is subjected to a braking action.

Due to the stress so exerted on film s, positioned between said matrix mand cylinder a, it will be readily understood that the film will bedriven by the matrix itself and tha no shifting of the matrix withrelation to the film or vice-versa can take place provided said filmundergoes the same tension previous to reaching cylinder a therefrom.This last point of an equal tension on the film to be printed before andafter its passage over cylinder (1 is not an absolute requisite. but ifthe film undergoes unequal tensions before and past cylinder a, thensaid cylinder must be stopped at the point where elemental slippages mayoccur.

and after departing ing drive.

As may be conceived, in practice any suitable device can be used toefi'ect the above set forth conditions of matrix and cylinder operation.I will, however, indicate, as an example, the one shown by the drawings.

As will be apparent, the matrix m is wound on a magazine drum l0; afterrunning over a transmission roll 0, said inatrix passes over rolls p-p'which are braked by, say, weights Guided by a last roll 1' the matrixthen enters drum d at the same time as the film s which comes frommagazine-drum I after having run over rolls t, t", t'. Roll r isarranged in such a way that the arc of contact of the film on cylinder ais as great as possible.

Both films issuing from the drum at j, the printed film 3 runs overrolls '0 0, 0 ,0, '1)", '0' ultimately to wind'around the taking-11pdrum Z. to which is imparted a suitable W111 The tension of film 8previous to its entering drum d may be adjusted by any suitable means sothat it will be equal to the tension of said film on its issuingtherefrom.

On issuing from drum (1 the matrix m runs round rolls 'u,u,:u", u'.", uand certain of these rolls, for instance rolls a", u', 20''", aredriving rolls: these are the ones which, pullin on the matrix, effectthe feed of both films at and 8 through the machine.

The entire mechanism, suitably supported on a frame (not shown) islocated in a place illuminated by red lamps, for instance, or, at anyrate, in a place thelighting of which is such as to have no action onsensitized film s. v

The modification illustrated by Figure 3 consists in using in lieu ofthe above referred to cylinder, an endless belt made, say, of steelfoil, driven by rollers a and b, and bearing on guiding surfaces 0' andd or on a series of rollers arranged to impart to it a convex form e",f", h", e". If the passive resistanoes are ow, then, obviously, rollersa and b may be, idle instead of driven.

The negative enters at 27 and issues at k; the sensitized strip entersat Z and comes out at m a V It is to be clearly understood that thehereina'bove described embodiment is in no way intended as limitativeand that the right is 'reserved to-introduce any desirableconstructional alterations and/or modifications with out being deemed todepart from the scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. Apparatus for printing motion picture film, comprising a stationaryopaque casing; doors'in the side walls of the casing to per.- mit accessto its interior; a support in said casing and over which a ne ative filmand a sensitized film to be printe are adapted to pass in superposedrelation, with the sensitized fihn in direct contact with the negativefilm and with the support, said casing having inlet and exit openingsfor said films in its bottom wall; a lamp in the casing to efi'eetprinting; means for causing the negative filmto exert pressure on thesensitized film; and means for positively feeding-said negative filmthrough said casing and thereby feeding the sensitized film by reason ofsuch pressure.

2. Apparatus for printing motion picture film, comprising anidly-rotating supporting cylinder over which a negative film and asensitized film to be printed are adapted to pass in superposedrelation, with the sensitized film in direct contact with the negativefilm and with the cylinder, a lamp to effect printing; 'means forcausing the negative film to exert pressure on the sensitized film; andmeans for imparting a positive feed movement solely to the negative filmand thereby feeding the sensitized film exclusively by reason of suchpressure.

3. F ilm-printing apparatus comprising an idly-rotating supportingcylinder over which a negative film and a sensitized film to be printedare adapted to be passed in superposed relation, with the sensitizedfilm in direct contact with the negative film and with the cylinder; alamp to etfect printing; means for causing the negative film to exertpressure on the sensitized film; means for subjecting the negative filmto a braking action before it reaches the cylinder; and means separatefrom the braking means for exerting a pull solely on said negative filmafter it leaves the cylinder and thereby feeding the sensitized filmexclusively by reason of such pressure.

4. Apparatus for printing motion picture film, comprising a stationarycasing; a support therein and over which a negative film and asensitized film to be printed are adapted to pass in superposedrelation, with the sensitized fihn in direct contact vith the negativefilm and with the support, said casing hav-.

ing inlet and'exit openings for the films in its bottom wall; a lamp inthe casing to effect printing; and guiding rolls individual to the twofilms located below the casin at both the inlet and the exit sidesthereof, a negative film guiding roll at the exit side of the casinghavin a positivedriving movement imparted to it so as to transmit suchmovement directly to the negative film and thereby feed the sensitizedfilm exclusively by the pressure which is exerted on that film by saidnegative film.

5. Apparatus for printing motion picture film, comprising port and asensitized film to be printed are adapted to pass in superposedrelation, with the sensitized film in direct contact with the negativefilm and with the support, said casing having inlet and exit openingsfor the films in its bottom wall; a lamp in the casing to efiectprinting; guiding rolls individual to the two films located below thecasing at both the inlet and a stationary casing; a sup- 1 therein andover which a negative film the exit sides thereof, a ne ative' filmguiding roll at the exit side of t e casing having a positive drivingmovement imparted to it so as to transmit such movement directly to thenegative film and thereby feed the sensitized film exclusively by thepressure which is exerted on that film by said negative film; and meansassociated with a negative film guiding roll at the inlet side of thecasing for subjecting the negative film to a braking action before itenters the casing.

6. Apparatus for printing motion picture film. comprising an idlymovable support over which a negative film and a sensitized film to beprinted are adapted to pass in superposed relation, with the sensitizedfilm in direct contact with the negative film and with the sup port; alamp to effect printing; and guiding rolls individual to the two filmslocated below and both in front of and beyond said support, at least oneguiding roll for the negative film beyond said support being positivelydriven so as to impart a feed movement directly to that film after itleaves the support.

7. Apparatus for printing motion picture film, comprising an idlymovable support over which a negative film and a sensitized film to beprinted are adapted to pass in superposed relation,-with the sensitizedfilm in direct contact with the negative film and with the support; alamp to efi'ectprinting; and guiding rolls individual to the two filmslocated below and both in front of and beyond said support, at least oneguiding roll for the negative film beyond said support being positivelydriven so as to impart a feed movement directly to that film after'itleaves the support. and at least one guiding roll for said negative filmin front of the support having means associated with it for subjectingthe said negative film to a braking action before it rmches saidsupport.

8. I ihn-printing apparatus according to claim 3, in which the brakingand feeding means are located below the cylinder in front of and beyondthe same, respectively.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

.IAQUES EDWIN BRANDENBERGER.

